About This Report

Because this is our first published report, we present available data and discuss certain programs from prior years to provide context and heighten understanding of our recent accomplishments.

The Sustainability Report is a companion to the Annual Report and Comprehensive Statement on Postal Operations. Both are available at usps.com/about.

This report conforms to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Sustainability Reporting Guidelines, version 3.0 (GRI G3). GRI G3 is the most widely adopted standard for public disclosure of sustainability performance for private and public organizations. For more information, visit globalreporting.org. We believe this report achieves a G3 Application Level of B. A GRI content index at the end of this report identifies each disclosure and performance indicator.

We haven’t undertaken a third-party report review but are considering it for future reports. Certain elements in this report, including Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, have been verified by third parties.

Focus and Organization

This report highlights our sustainability progress in 2008 and looks at challenges ahead. It illustrates many sustainability issues we’ve integrated into our business practices for several years. These issues are material to our operations and of increasing interest to our stakeholders. As we report current and future sustainability performance, we expect these issues to be even more integral to our long-term operation.

Throughout the report, we provide estimations of our sustainability performance, such as vehicle energy use, amount of waste we produce and number of employee training hours.

The report describes the Postal Service as an organization (Our Business), discusses the path we have taken toward a sustainable future (Our Sustainability Journey), highlights key sustainability topics as they relate to our operations (Our Environment), explains our commitment to our employees (Our People) and illustrates the impact we have in local communities (Our Community).

When we reference a particular year in the report, we are referencing our fiscal year, which runs from October 1 to September 30. For example, 2008 performance data refers to the period from October 1, 2007, to September 30, 2008.

Green Richard’s Almanac

You can add environmentalist to the list as well. Franklin was an early advocate for what we now know as environmentally sound practices. In 1739, he petitioned the Pennsylvania Assembly to stop dumping waste and to remove tanneries from the commercial district in Philadelphia.

And in the 1760s, he led a committee to regulate waste disposal and water pollution. Franklin was so committed to the cause that he left money in his will toward construction of a fresh water pipeline for Philadelphia. That bequest eventually led to the formation of the Philadelphia Water Commission.

Ben Franklin and the Postal Service—early proponents for a greener world.